Only make announcements when decisions are finalised, says Dr Wee

YONG PENG: Any major government announcements should only be made after a decision has been finalised, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic).

The MCA president said making premature announcements would only cause confusion and raise questions among the public.

"My advice to them (the government) is not to announce something that have yet to be finalised.

"Let there be a final decision made first, and then the announcement could be made.

"Do not come out to say that it is just a plan after receiving criticism from the public. The damage has been done.

"It is also very confusing for the people," he said.

He said this to reporters when met at the Ayer Hitam Parliament Chinese New Year celebration at the Yong Peng MCA building in Jalan Templer here on Friday (Feb 16) night.

Dr Wee said this when asked about the introduction of the Malaysia Madani white rice as announced by National Action Council for Cost of Living (Naccol) chairman Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Faisal.

Earlier, Agriculture and Food Security Ministry secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali said the matter would need prior Cabinet approvals.

Lokman said that as of now, it remains a private initiative from Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Faisal, which he said had not gone through "due process".

On Wednesday (Feb 14), Syed Abu Hussin said the government would introduce Malaysia Madani white rice priced at RM30 for a 10kg sack on Feb 19, which was expected to be available in the market from March 1.

He said that between Feb 19 and March 1, rice industry players could make adjustments and sell rice in the old packaging until all wholesalers’ stocks were sold out.